Fish Out Of Water
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: Steve's still in the lake. Five years after the war he's saved by an unlikely individual and is determined to make everything up to Darren... but he finds out his dear brother is dead. This is what he does, to bring him back.
1. Default Chapter

**Salvatore Shan NW** presents… _Fish Out Of Water. _

I don't own any of the characters – they are works of Darren Shan (the author of course). Any extras I own, I'll name at the bottom. The plot is mine, the Lake of Souls is DS' and anything else I forgot to mention most probably belongs to him too.

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In the words of Steve Leonard (I just can't call him Leopard, it annoys me). After the events of _Sons of Destiny_. I know this first chapter is short, but it's meant to be

Dedicated to anyone who enjoys this story, reviews it and loves Darren Shan. Enjoy!

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**Chapter One**

_Five years after the War of the Scars_

_How long am I going to stay here? _I asked for the millionth time, feeling the tears intermix with the water sloshing around me. There was nothing I could do to prevent myself from merging and I was sucked into yet another void, surrounded by the souls around me, flowing into this hole where your name or deeds matter. Only your sins.

I tried to talk to the others around me, but my mouth wouldn't open. All I could do was think through what I'd been through. My death flashed before your eyes. They say when you die your life flashes before your eyes, as when you're sleeping the eternal slumber do you dream about how you died. I had to swallow a laugh. _I'd risen to the bait._ Darren, I mean. He'd tricked me into killing him… so we could save the world. And I was so drunk on rage that I didn't notice. I would've – once upon a time. But those times were over by that stage.

There I went. Falling into the whirlpool. Spinning faster and faster. I lost consciousness.

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When I woke up again I was in a colder part of the lake but I couldn't shiver. I hoped that this time I wasn't in the abyss. It was a horrible place down there, all dark and… and _freezing. _The perfect place for Steve Leonard, Vampaneze Lord, to reside.

I realise now that I never had control of my actions. Even if, in my head, I ever doubted that Darren had betrayed me – a little voice would tell me he did and would get me angry all over again. And now I knew who that voice belonged to. _Desmond Tiny._ I swelled up with rage and promised that when I got out of this lake I would do whatever I could to make it up to Darren. My brother.

He probably hated me and I wouldn't blame him. _After all_… I gritted my teeth and tried to clench my fists. Nothing. My palm was stinging. The scar on my hand was burning, and I felt myself slipping away into the arms of sleep again. I refused to go this time because who knew where I'd be when I woke up? It scared me to be alone like this.

Everyone screaming in their own souls but not being able to get out. Like being buried alive. I tried to scream but knew I couldn't. I tried to move, to swim out, but I couldn't. The only thing I could control was my mouth, and that was limited. I didn't want to open my mouth so the contents of the lake could spill in.

I wanted to open my eyes but couldn't. I was paralysed. I felt heat on my face and realised I was floating to the surface again, but never would I be able to break it. Noises… somewhere up ahead… someone calling my name.

_Darren?_

And there I am, the sunlight pouring down and making the surface shine like gold. Except I can't see it, I can imagine it. I'm so close to the surface… so close that if I could move just a millimetre… I _can't_.

And then there's that voice again. _Steve… Steve… _I want to answer. Want to climb out, throw my arms around Darren and give him a noogie. Laugh with him and pretend that the War of the Scars never happened. That he never became a half-vampire and I never became a half-vampaneze. That he wasn't the Prince and me the Lord. That we never went to the Cirque Du Freak.

Something's pulling me upwards, physically. Something - _rope. _It's burning my skin, snagging it but I don't feel the pain. My head's breaking the water… it's actually _doing_ it! I'm being pulled out of the lake!

My head first. I can imagine by silver hair emerging… then my eyes and… and I can _see. _I look up, blinking, and wipe the water out of my eyes. My body's out now. Then my legs… and my feet. I'm free! I'm free… and, and – _am I truly alive? _Or is that a mirage? Is it just another one of Mr Tiny's tricks?

I feel all lightweight and feathery, like a ghost. I look down at my naked body and blush, ashamed. Someone behind me throws a blanket and I catch it midair, wrapping it around my waist.  
Then I hear a strangled gasp and turn around sharply. Only to then wish I'd fallen back into the lake.


	2. Going home

Once again, I own no one _except _Ancha and Ennan. Actually – I don't own them. I own their names, looks and personalities but Darren Shan thought them up. (Evanna's newborns – named after their dads!)

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**Chapter Two**

Before me was standing a tall boy about sixteen, with blond hair up in a ponytail. He had bright brown eyes and was staring at me with a mixture of horror and disbelief. And he looked like me – except younger. And I know who he is without having to ask. Because he doesn't just look like _me_. He looks like his mother… like his uncle.

I stood up and opened my mouth to speak, but the half-vampire got there first. "Dad," he scowled once the shock faded. There was a Little Person on his right, his hood pulled down. I always considered the Little People as 'he's' – I know it was sexist, but it was much easier.  
His grey skin was stitched awkwardly, not like Darren's Little Person with the axe – Harkat Mulds. It was… _it was_… different. The Little Person turned and frowned at me.

"What now?" it asked… and something about the voice… deeper than I remembered Harkat's voice to be like. For a while my son, Darius, just shook his head at me, then sighed and gathered their things up. "We go back to camp, Neo."  
The Little Person flinched and glared at Darius. In reply, he gave a wry smile. "Sorry. Old habits die hard." The Little Person rolled their eyes and looked at me. I had a feeling of déjà vu and even dared to ask – "Are you… are you me?"

Darius laughed and clutched his stomach, then turned back to me and faced me directly. "Dad," he repeated, expression set. His complexion was pink from laughing but it was fading quickly and then he was simply glaring at me in contempt. I shuffled my feet and then looked up, trying to catch his eye. "Darius…"

"Uncle Darren's dead." He said simply. I stared in disbelief and then snorted with laughter. "Don't play like that, Darius."  
"I'm not playing. He died to fix everything you two did. In fact, I'm not actually your son." He grinned wickedly. "Uncle Darren figured if he took your roles out of the world, people would be replaced. My dad is called-"

"Stop!" I snapped, running forward, neglecting the towel. I started shaking him, eyes wild. "What are you talking about?"  
"There is another Darius, Dad. Another you, another Uncle Darren… except you're not the same, I'm not the same…" he gazed up into my eyes and I could see we were both crying. "The world's a confusing place now, Dad. With you gone… Mum had me with… with. Agh!" he gave up and flounced down on the floor, holding his head in his hands.

Resorting into the mode I'd never once possessed, I sat down next to Darius, ready to be a proper father to him finally. "Start from the beginning." I said.

Darius laughed insanely then burst into tears and fell into my arms. "It all started three years ago, so Hi tells me," he motions to the Little Person. He, in turn, shuffled uncomfortably and coughed awkwardly before turning away. Darius takes a deep whooping breath like he's struggling to breathe and looks at me seriously. "Aunty Evanna pulled him out of the lake and Mr Tiny made him into a Little Person.

"He went back in time to reverse your roles in the war. He changed it so neither of you had a part in it, and then it turned out that you and Uncle Darren were in fact brothers because some guy attacked your mums and…" he paused, took a breath finally and carried on.  
Mum married Tommy Jones." He explains. "So another Darius was born. I went back home and Mum thought… Uncle Darren thought… _you_ thought…" he stopped and then looked at his hands thoughtfully. "Mr Tiny kept me."

"What do you mean 'kept' you?" I cried, looking about for the meddler so I could hit him. Darius laughed again and went quiet. "Uncle Darren made sure nothing like the War of the Scars would happen, but somehow, Mr Tiny took me back in time to when Mum had the other Darius… I can't explain!" he howled, shaking his head.

I was becoming more and more confused but realised what my son was trying to tell me. That he was still mine and Annie's… except somehow, Mr Tiny had taken him from one of the possible futures and brought him back to the new age Darren had created by sacrificing himself. My Darren.

"I understand." I smiled, putting my arm around him. The Little Person behind me coughed and smiled. "You really have changed Master Leonard," he noted dryly. And then I knew where'd I heard that voice before. I was guessing, clutching at straws…

"Mr _Tall_?" I hissed, rounding on the creature. He bowed his head and then refused to look my way. "Possibly…" he replied, then Darius stood up and swept a hand across his head. "You can tell him, Hi, Des Tiny brought you back too."  
"In more ways than one," I commented, eyebrows in my hair. Then, I looked down at myself again and picked up the sheet of material, covering my bare body once more.

"Father thought it only fair that I was to be alive as well as Evanna," he said. Darius nudged him. "Tell him the other things, too."  
Hibernius, the Little Person, stretched his neck (_neck?_) out. He was different from all of the others because he had a neck, was slimmer and decidedly taller – yet still only came up to Darius' shoulders.

"I can taste what I eat, speak perfectly, breathe the normal air and most importantly, can still see into the future." He grinned. "But our father stitched me up more vigorously because he was sore about spending so long fixing me up."  
He shook his head sorrowfully. "Now I work at my own circus." He grumbled. Darius laughed. "I think we'd better start the trip ba-" he began, but then frowned.

"Look who's here!" he muttered under his breath, then walked forwards. "Grandfather!" he called. I turned, my breath catching in my throat. My eyes wandered up and down, agreeing with my mind that it was Desmond Tiny in front fo me, walking forwards me. He shot a dangerous glance at Darius.

"What did I tell you, Darius?" he hissed. Hibernius bowed, whereas I just stood with my mouth wide open, not hiding the fact that I would never become a Little Person so my 'father' could get his kicks. I hated him. More than I ever hated Darren. About ten times more. I was my own person until I turned twelve, and then I was his puppet. I was born a weapon. I died – with Darren's help – a hero. Maybe not in so many terms. Darren was the real hero. But I helped. He wouldn't have died without me.  
_I killed my half-brother, my best friend, to save the world…_

"Leonard," Father nodded at me. I clenched my fists and when Darius handed me a shirt, put it on with so much force that he jumped. He handed me some shorts and I stuck them on, all the while my eyes never leaving Desmond Tiny.  
He smiled, brushing his white hair out of his face. "Well then, what a reunion. If only Darren was alive to see this. Oh and of course… if Evanna and Ancha and Ennan were here…"  
Hibernius looked down at his feet. "Father, I'd much prefer if you didn't talk about Ancha and Ennan."

Mr Tiny's eyes went wild and he glared at my 'brother'. "Oh? And why is that, Hibernius? You're afraid you'll let it out where they're staying?" In response, Hibernius just looked at a loss, mouth opening and closing.  
"They're only children, Father… surely they don't deserve-"  
"Silence!" We all trembled as the roar rumbled from Mr Tiny's mouth. "Ancha and Ennan are my granddaughters," he paused. "I'd be lying if I said I loved them, I do not _love_," he said it as if it were a swear word, "yet I would not harm them. I can – and will – harm their parents, but not-"

"Evanna?" Hibernius cried, mouth open. Mr Tiny stared back blankly, looking so smug. "What's wrong with that. She lied to me. Don't cross me, son, or I swear…"  
Hibernius looked down and clenched his fists. Darius clapped his hands and sighed. "Well… can you send us home?" he asked, smiling at Mr Tiny expectantly. The stout man had a portal open behind him, glowing red, matching his watch.

He turned his attention to me. "With him?" he scowled. I looked back, hatred flickering between us. Darius nodded. "He's what we came all this way for."

Then, slowly, as I thought Mr Tiny was going to hack my head off, he smiled ever so slightly and nodded. "Take my boys home, Darius." He smiled and then disappeared with a pop. I stared blankly at the spot where he disappeared then stomped ahead of my confused picture of a family. Stepping through the portal, I let myself fall much more willingly than I did into the lake.


End file.
